YuGiOh!: The Spirits of Exodia
by StandAlone
Summary: Episode 2.....A strange girl from Egypt, one who knows of the Millennium Items, transfers to your school a month before vacation and seeks you out. A rather odd coincidence......
1. Just Another Day

**Yu-Gi-Oh: The Spirits of Exodia**

Hello! My name is StandAlone and I'd like to welcome you to my first ever Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfiction!

To help you understand the setting and style of this fanfiction, I've included the following notes and recommend that you read them before moving on the main story.

1. Usual disclaimers apply. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or anything associated therein. This fanfiction is for entertainment, not monetary gain. (But man, it'd be totally sweet if I did own it...I can dream can't I?)

2. I'll be using most of the characters' Japanese names, with a few exceptions as listed below:

Yugi Mutou

Sugoruku Mutou

Sakura Mutou (as far as I know, the names of Yugi's parents are never mentioned, so I've chosen Sakura as his mother's name)

Katsuya Jonouchi (Joey Wheeler)Shizuka Jonouchi (Serenity Wheeler - I'm not sure if a different last name is mentioned, so I'll just use her big brother's)

Hiroto Honda (Tristan Taylor)

Anzu Mazaki (Tea Gardner)

Ryou Bakura (in the case of the Bakuras, I'll refer to the high school one as Ryou and the thief as Bakura with dialogue exceptions)

Amane Bakura (Ryou's nine year old sister - I haven't been able to find an age for her listed anywhere so I just went with nine)

Seto Kaiba

Mokuba Kaiba

Ishizu Ishtar

Marik Ishtar

Also note that because I'm mostly using the Japanese versions of these characters, they will not have the ridiculous accents that the English dubbed anime has given them.

3. You, my wonderful readers, will meet a character named Isis in this fanfiction, but she is **not** to be confused with Priestess Isis of the Memory World story arc or Ishizu (who is sometimes also called Isis). You'll just have to read the story to find out her true identity. :P

4. I'll be using both Japanese and English terms, and may sometime switch back and forth between the two to keep things from being too repetitive.

5. I'll be combining elements of both the manga and anime as far as the storyline goes. For the most part, events follow the anime version (meaning the "Noa" and "Waking the Dragons" story arcs have occurred) but some events will be retold as the manga version. I'll try to put in notes at the end of each chapter for clarification as needed.

6. This fic takes place after the "Waking the Dragons" saga but before the "Memory World" arc.

7. Construction criticism and comments are welcome, but please no flames or bashing. If you don't like it, don't read it.

8. Sorry to disappoint some of you, but this will be a non yaoi fic. Any warm fuzzy moments are meant to be in the spirit of friendship or as a brotherly type love.

9. Having said that above, there will be slight hints of a Yugi/Anzu pairing, but nothing major. Just little hints.

10. During conversations between the hosts and the yami's, the spirit that is **not** in control of the body will have their dialogue italicized, unless they are in their soul rooms.

I think that's about it. I'll update with more notes in later chapters as the story goes. Thanks for hanging on; I know that much isn't all the interesting the read, but I promise to make the story worth it. Onward we go!

* * *

**Episode One: Just Another Day**

Yugi stared hard at his newest card, wishing, _willing_ it to be another. He couldn't believe his bad luck lately. He just couldn't seem to draw the right ones into his hand. But he didn't want his opponent to know that. One of the first rules of the gaming world was to never let your enemy see your weaknesses. Too bad Yugi was such an honest soul. He couldn't fool anyone, especially not his current opponent. He scratched his tri-colored hair, pasted on a goofy "I just hit the jackpot" grin, and discarded an unwanted card from his hand.

"Okay, your turn!" he said cheerfully, praying that his bluff might work this time.

His opponent, who was nearly identical to Yugi save for a few almost unnoticeable details, smirked at his young friend, then leaned forward to draw a card from the stock pile. His smug expression never left his face as he rearranged his hand, discarded, and laid his remaining cards on the ground in front of him to join the collection of other seemingly random hands.

"I'm out. Game over," he said, laughing at the shocked look on Yugi's face. "Do you want to add up the points, or should I?" His satisfied smirk grew even bigger as the younger sighed and set down his own hand.

"Why bother," Yugi replied, flopping to lie eagle-spread on the floor. "We both know you kicked my butt. **_Again_**." He folded his arms under his head and closed his eyes.

Yami crossed his arms and leaned against the nearby wall. "Of course. I am the King of Games after all." He swayed easily to dodge the teddy bear thrown his way.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Yugi said sarcastically, pushing himself up to sit again.

Yami stood then and grabbed the jacket that was lying among a pile of random toys. "And you know what that means. I'm one day closer to finishing my puzzle, and you're one day closer to that date with Anzu." He chuckled at the nervous expression on his partner's face.

Out loud Yugi mumbled, "Don't remind me." Inwardly he thought, _'Why did I ever go along with this?'_ Hearing the elder laugh yet again, he realized that he hadn't closed his mind to their mental link. Of course, they were currently in his soul room, so that was difficult to do anyway.

"Aww, come on. It won't be so bad. Admit it, you're secretly _hoping_ that I'll beat you, right?" Yami's smirk became more of a warm smile.

It was nearly the end of the school year. In about a month's time, Yugi and Yami, along with a few other friends, would be making a trip to Egypt's Valley of the Kings in the hopes of discovering Yami's forgotten past as an ancient Pharaoh. Each day brought them closer to their true destiny. Needless to say, both of them were a little anxious about the situation as neither knew what would become of the elder spirit.

With no Duel Monsters tournaments going on, and no one out to destroy the world (as far as they knew), the two friends came up with a little contest to pass the time. They took a trip to the mall and bought two puzzles, both containing 1,000 pieces. Yugi chose Yami's puzzle and vice versa. Whichever one of them completed their puzzle first (or was the furthest along on it) won. The deadline to completion was one week before the school year ended. To make it more interesting, Yami had suggested a little wager. He knew that Yugi had more than friendly feelings for a certain brunette, but was too scared to say anything. The Pharaoh was determined not to go anywhere until Yugi had admitted these feelings to Anzu, and made his hikari promise to tell her if he managed to complete his puzzle first.

Yugi, for his part, decided that if _he_ won, Yami (who didn't understand the trials and tribulations of modern high schools) would spend an entire school day in control of their body while he relaxed in his soul room. He would offer no help to the spirit, and their friends would be limited on what they would do as well.

In order to make the contest entirely fair, they worked out a time schedule for both of them to take control of the body they shared to work on their respective puzzles. They each got a maximum of three hours a night: Yugi got Monday and Wednesday while Yami took Tuesday and Thursday. They kept the weekends open for hanging out with their friends, but if nothing was going on, they played a game to determine which of them got the extra time to work.

Yami, being the King of Games, naturally won most of the extra games. He considered _letting_ Yugi win once in a while, but in the end decided that it would be a disrespectful to do so. Both of them shared an attitude of integrity and they always played with honor and respect towards their opponents. That attitude naturally carried over in their competition with one another.

The Pharaoh sighed and shook his head, a motion that did not go unnoticed by Yugi. The younger smiled brightly, knowing what the other was thinking. Despite the fact that Yami won their games, and henceforth extra time to work on his puzzle, Yugi was still further along on his. He had a special knack for puzzles, a trained eye that was able to see the smallest of details that made up the larger picture. To say he was an expert at them would be an understatement. It was he, after all, that solved the mysterious Millennium Puzzle that had previously been broken and in pieces for over 3,000 years. It was he that awoke and saved the Pharaoh's confined spirit.

So naturally, he had to be good, much to Yami's dismay. The spirit wasn't particularly fond of losing, not even to his dearest friend.

Yami pulled the dark blue jacket over his black sleeveless shirt and headed towards the door of Yugi's soul room. He opened it half way, then paused to look back at his partner, who hadn't moved from where he was sitting.

"Coming?" he asked. Though he would be controlling Yugi's body for the next couple of hours, his aibou would usually manifest his spirit outside to watch. It was a little annoying actually, having Yugi look over his shoulder at his puzzle, stifling laughs when he tried to fit pieces together that had no business being connected. It was annoying, but it was comforting as well. The two friends were rarely able to spend quiet time like this with one another, just enjoying each other's company. Most often they were fighting for their lives, or the lives of their loves ones, or contemplating their uncertain future. This time, despite being rather uneventful, was precious to both of them. They were doing their best to make the most of it.

A strange expression, one that Yami wasn't sure he'd ever seen on the youth's face before, appeared. It seemed both anxious and a little sad. Certainly they'd been through some rough times to warrant such a look, but something was different about this one.

Yugi looked up, realizing that his partner was waiting for him. He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No, that's alright. I think I'll just stay here for now." He laid back down and closed his eyes again. "Let me know when it's time for supper, okay?"

Puzzled, Yami waited a moment for him to continue until it was clear that he was going to say no more. He shrugged. "Suit yourself." With that, he left the soul room, and instantly found himself sitting on the bed in Yugi's bedroom. He blinked, as though waking from a dream, then leaned over and reached under the bed for his puzzle.

He looked it over, clearly unsatisfied with his progress. As he surveyed the picture on the box he was trying to emulate, his mind drifted back to the day it had been chosen for him...

_"Here we are, Pharaoh! Isn't it awesome? It's one of my favorite game stores. I mean, besides Grandpa's store." Yugi pointed at the sign as they neared their destination. _

_The spectral form of Yami appeared next to him as he paused outside the relatively large store. The mall game shop was situated between a store where children could put together their own stuffed animals and another one of questionable wares. Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught a glimpse of someone that looked suspiciously a lot like Jonouchi flipping through a magazine in the questionable shop. He kept his mouth and mind shut about it to Yugi but thought he might have a little fun messing with their friend later on. The Game King smirked as Yugi entered and headed for the section filled with puzzles of various pictures and difficulty. _

_"Choose well, Hikari. I won't lose this little contest easily." He began looking over the various pictures of the 1,000 piece puzzles, trying to find the most difficult one before Yugi did._

_It didn't take him long to make his choice. It was strangely appropriate and looked like it'd be decently challenging for his other. It had a picture of the Sphinx at dusk. Despite the desert setting, it looked oddly beautiful to the Egyptian spirit. Not to mention the idea of how long it would take Yugi to sort out the sand pieces from the monument pieces; both were nearly identical in color. _

_Yami turned to inform his other self of his choice, attempting to smile innocently in the process. Despite his best efforts, his grin still looked fairly smug. It was wiped from his face though as he observed Yugi. _

_The youth was staring intently at the picture of a different puzzle, also containing 1,000 pieces. He wore a small little smile, but his eyes looked rather sad. It was a strange sort of sorrow that Yami didn't recognize, at least not on Yugi's face._

_"Yugi?" he asked, moving to look over his shoulder at the picture. It was of a pack of white wolves in a pristine forest setting. The wolf standing regally in the foreground must have been the alpha male and father of the pups playing and wrestling behind him. Another wolf, probably the female and mother, was sitting close, observing the pups._

_"You like that one?" Yami asked, snapping Yugi from his thoughts. The younger had been keeping the mental link closed, shielding the Pharaoh from whatever it was that was going through his head. _

_He jumped slightly. "Huh? Oh, yeah." He hastily grabbed the puzzled and tucked it under his arm. "Ready?" he said with his usual cheerful smile. He tugged a little at the choker around his neck._

_Yami observed him for a moment, searching his eyes for the sorrow that had been shining there a moment ago. But all traces of it seemed gone, disappearing with a casual blink. He shook his head. 'Must have been my imagination,' he thought to himself. "Uh, yeah." He laughed when Yugi rolled his eyes as he pointed out the Sphinx puzzle._

_"Figures. Well, let's go pay for these and head home."_

Yami ran his hand over the completed section of his puzzle. He'd finished the outline and some of the trees, but had been focusing most of his attention on the wolf in the foreground so far. He was almost finished with it, though as a whole, he only had about one-forth of the puzzle done. Yugi had completed nearly half of his in the three weeks that they'd been working on them. The ancient spirit exhaled loudly, then proceeded to pick up pieces that looked close in color and shape and attempted to fit them together.

* * *

_Elsewhere, at Kaiba Corp Headquarters..._

"Seto?"

"Hmm? What is it now, Mokuba?"

"Um, can you help me with this problem?"

Seto Kaiba sighed audibly and set down the screwdriver he was using. This was the third time in fifteen minutes that his younger brother had disrupted his work for help on his math homework. Normally, Kaiba didn't mind; he always tried to make time for Mokuba, the only family he had in the world. But dividing time between school, work, and the kid was a major hassle, and lately Kaiba Corp's newest projects required nearly all of his attention. He felt like he had been working non stop for the past few weeks; mostly because he didn't trust his associates to get their jobs done right. Thus _their_ responsibilities fell to him.

Because of this, he had been too exhausted to spend much time with Mokuba. They only saw one another sometime in the evening, when the younger brother would drag his homework into the elder's office in the Kaiba mansion. Both would spend a few hours silently working on their respective projects. Eventually, Seto would send Mokuba off to bed, and that would be that.

It was a regrettable loss, but a necessary one nonetheless.

"Bring it here, Mokuba," Seto said with another sigh.

The raven-haired boy quickly jumped up, clutching his textbook and notepad and rushed over to Kaiba's desk. He handed Seto his pencil and tried his best to concentrate on his big brother's explanation of long division, but truth be told, he really didn't care. What he truly wanted was for Seto to put aside his work and hang out with him. Previously, he had canceled several of their vacation days in order to further develop the new silicon micro chips for Kaiba Land's virtual reality games. Mokuba understood how important this project was to both of them, but he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. As a result, he took every possible opportunity to be near Seto.

"And that's how you solve this one. Got it now, Mokuba?"

Mokuba twitched a little, startled from his thoughts and nodded. "Yeah. I...I think so. Thanks, Seto." He laughed nervously, grabbed his stuff, and returned to the couch he'd been sitting on.

Kaiba smiled slightly, then returned to his own project.

Despite the multiple explanations, Mokuba didn't find his equations any easier. It was at times like this that he envied Seto for being so much more intelligent than he was. In fact, during their early days of living in the orphanage, many couples were eager to adopt the adorable, blue eyed, sharp witted boy. Few would give the other little one a second glance. However, Seto passed up every opportunity to be raised in good and loving homes for the sake of his brother. Not many people saw past the rough exterior that circumstance had given him, but Mokuba did. It seemed that he was the only one who was able to recognize the kindness and love shining behind those piercing eyes.

But lately, even _he_ had trouble excusing Kaiba's neglect and indifference. Could it be possible that the loyalty and devotion he once had was now finally gone? Would they continue to grow further and further apart as they grew older and became more immersed in Kaiba Corp affairs? Mokuba couldn't bear the thought.

For a while now, he'd been working on a secret little project of his own...something he hoped would renew their relationship and force Seto to view his sibling with more respect and love than he had lately. Unfortunately, in order to do so, he was going to need a little help.

Just then, Mokuba heard Seto jump from his seat and curse loudly.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Mokuba dropped his pencil and hurried to his brother's side to offer his help.

"Nothing, kid. The knife I was using to cut some wires slipped, that's all." He was holding a white tissue that was quickly turning red on his left index finger.

The younger Kaiba shook his head and went to retrieve a first aid kit from the nearby closet. Seto sat down at his desk again and reluctantly allowed Mokuba to clean and apply a bandage to the cut.

Mokuba took a deep breath as he a wiped away the blood with an alcohol tissue. _'Well, guess it's now or never,'_ he thought. _'Time for Step One.'_

"Say, uh, Seto?"

"What," the elder snapped. He didn't mean to sound harsh, but he was upset and tired and didn't feel like helping with any more math problems.

Mokuba winced slightly but gathered his courage to continue. "Um, do you know of anything important coming up? Like, maybe next week?" He bit his lip in hopeful anticipation.

Kaiba breathed a sigh of relief, then smirked as he tried to look deep in thought. He stared intently at the ceiling as he scratched his chin. "Next week, huh? Let's see..." He reached for the day planner sitting next to his computer and quickly flipped through its pages. He made a show of sliding a finger down the following week's notes. After a quick scan, he shook his head. "Nope, nothing major. Unless you're talking about the budget meeting, but I doubt _you're_ concerned about that."

The eleven year old gasped in horror, and then looked at the floor sadly. _'Did he really forget?'_ He was surprised to hear his brother start laughing.

"I'm just kidding, Mokuba! I'd **_never_** forget your birthday!" He grinned fondly and ruffled the kid's already messy hair. "As a matter of fact, I've already finished planning your party." He inspected the bandage on his finger for a second, then opened a drawer to retrieve a sheet of paper and a pen. "The only thing we need to do is to send out invitations. Now, who do you want to be there?" Seto's smile widened as he watched Mokuba jump with barely contained excitement out of the corner of his eye.

"Really? Okay_!" 'I knew my big brother wouldn't forget! Boy, does that make things easier,'_ he thought to himself. He then proceeded to list off the names of some of his friends and classmates from Domino Middle School, counting on his fingers as he did so. After about ten or so, he paused thoughtfully. He suddenly began kicking his toe into the ground, hands behind his back, and looking rather sheepish. He quickly mumbled something and braced himself for the storm.

Seto stopped short, eyes narrowing as he clutched his pen tightly. A frown quickly replaced his grin. "What was that again? I'm not sure I heard you right. You'll have to speak louder." He prayed that he'd heard wrong.

"I...I want to invite Yugi and Anzu and those other guys."

Seto turned to glare at his brother in disbelief. "What! Why do you want **them** to come!"

Mokuba reached deep inside himself for the courage to stand up to his elder. He wasn't forced to do so often, but this was one of those times that he just had to have his way. "Oh, come on, Seto! I know you don't like them all that much, especially not Jonouchi and Honda, but Yugi's been a good friend to both of us even though he has no reason to. He's helped us out of a lot of tight spots. I really want him to be there, but I don't think he'll come if I don't invite his friends too." He stuck out his lower lip and made his eyes as big and puppy-like as he could. "Please, can they come? Just for a few hours?"

Seto couldn't believe what he was hearing. Of all people to invite to his birthday party, why would his little brother want Yugi, his greatest and only rival in the world, to come? And sure, he had a point about him lending a hand once in while (not that Seto couldn't have handled all those situations by himself if those losers had meddled in his affairs). It just didn't make any sense to him.

He chose that moment to look at the clock on his computer screen and saw that it was getting to be past Mokuba's bed time. He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. This conversation would have to wait until another time. But for now...he looked again at those eyes...eyes that he couldn't possibly say no to.

He rolled his own and scribbled Yugi and his friends' names on the invitation list. "Fine. I'll think about it." He mentally kicked himself for being so weak.

Mokuba grinned, knowing full well that he had gotten his way. "Okay." He rushed over to gather his books and leave before he could change his mind. He stopped, however, when another thought crossed his mind. _'Oops, almost forgot Step Two..._' His face took on a sad, but hopeful expression as he turned to his elder brother again.

"Uh, Seto?"

"What?" Kaiba had no intention of being any more accommodating as far as Yugi went, no matter what Mokuba had to say.

His sibling took a deep breath and looked at the floor again. "You're...you're going to be there too, right?"

Seto's face immediately softened when he saw Mokuba's. He knew what he was getting at. Fortunately, he had no intention of disappointing his best friend. He stood and walked over to kneel in front of the little guy, putting his hands on his shoulders and forcing him to look up at him.

"Don't worry, Mokuba. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

The boy shouted happily and threw his arms around his big brother. "Yay! Thanks, Seto!"

Seto smiled...a rare and truly happy smile that was reserved only for Mokuba and hugged him back. "Alright now, time for bed. Get going kiddo." He stood and pointed to the door, adopting a stern tone.

"Okay. Good night, Seto!"

"Good night, Mokuba."

The younger Kaiba closed the door of the elder's office and headed down several halls and sets of stairs towards his bedroom. Once he arrived, he threw his books and bag carelessly on the floor and went to retrieve something from his dresser's top drawer. He held the object close to his heart as he walked over to a window, one with a breathtaking view of Domino City. Though he couldn't see him from there, he knew that a friend of his was out there somewhere, and he was the only one who would be able to help him achieve his goals. "Please, help me, Yugi," he whispered.

* * *

Back at the homely game shop, Yugi yawned and stretched his arms as far over his head as they would go. His back and neck were sore from the hours that Yami had spent hunched over his puzzle and his eyes hurt from staring at the tiny white pieces he'd been trying to make sense of. It was one of the few downsides to sharing a body; whichever spirit happened to be in control felt the strain of whatever the body endured. So even though the Pharaoh had been the one working, Yugi now felt the unfortunate stiffness of prolonged inactivity. And since the elder of the two was also the stronger, he was able to handle much more. 

Thinking about it as he slowly dragged himself upstairs for bed, Yugi was suddenly reminded of the time he'd caught a rather nasty cold. Yami had no understanding of what was happening and out of sheer curiosity asked to take control in order to experience the symptoms. He didn't object, since their ail ness was of the body and not of the mind or spirit. His darkness lasted only a half an hour before he quickly retreated to his soul room. All Yugi ever got out of him was a rather grumpy "You're on your own, aibou."

He chuckled to himself, remembering the incident, though at the time he was far from amused. After he'd finally recovered, Yami Yugi went on a major health craze for about a week, lecturing his light to no end about his eating and sleeping habits. Yugi finally drew the line when he'd tried to prevent his frequent afternoon burger stops with Jonouchi.

He smiled fondly as he reached his room, absentmindedly glancing at the puzzle that hadn't been put away. Even though he'd been annoyed with him for a while, he knew that the Pharaoh was just looking out for his well being, and for that he was grateful.

The teen quickly prepared for bed and enthusiastically hopped into it, enjoying the ability to stretch out his back on a comfortable surface. He rolled on his side and set his alarm clock for the following morning, throwing a quick look at the calendar hanging on the wall as he did so. A slight uneasy feeling passed through him as he noted the mark he'd made on Friday of the following week. He hoped in his heart that it would prove to be uneventful.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he yawned again and closed his eyes.

"Good night, Yami," he whispered though his mental link.

_'Good night, Yugi,'_ came the equally tired reply.

* * *

Across town the following morning, an obnoxious buzzing noise woke an exhausted white haired teen with a start. He bolted upright in shock, then groaned loudly as he rubbed his throbbing head. The sudden movement had made him dizzy and the noise of his alarm clock pounded in his ears. He quickly slammed his fist down on the off switch, becoming aware then of how sore and stiff his arms were. In addition, his left eye was throbbing and his jaw stun a little. 

Ryou Bakura's eyes drifted down towards the large golden object hanging around his neck. He glared at the Millennium Ring with pure disgust, easily guessing what must have happened to put him in such a state. The evil spirit that inhabited the Egyptian dream catcher must have forcefully taken over his body again and had himself a little fun. The headache and the nauseous feeling in his stomach told him that his yami had gone out drinking, _again_. His arms, eye, and jaw indicated that he'd gotten into a fight at some point, receiving and dealing out a fair amount of damage.

Ryou wished with all his heart to be rid of the cursed ring and his dark alter ego. He tried everything he could think of to dispose of it: throwing it in the trash, in the river, burning it, striking it with various weapons that he'd mysteriously accumulated. No matter what he did, it never seemed damaged and always found its way back to him. The Thief King inside taunted him to no end of this, ensuring that until he had achieved his goals, he would continue to make use of his chosen host body as he wished. He also took the liberty of punishing his landlord by playing some cruel jokes on a few of his classmates and leaving him to take the blame; that in addition to threatening his friends and family with torment and death.

Ryou's mother used to tell him never to use the word 'hate'. There was too much of it in the world already and she didn't want her children to add to it. But there was no other way to describe his feelings towards Bakura. With every fiber of his being, Ryou **hated** Bakura. The two were complete polar opposites, the thief working to destroy everything his host stood for and cherished.

That without even mentioning the abuse he put their body through. Each blackout he awakened from made him keenly aware that his health was slowly but surely declining from all the poor choices his other made. The darkness seemed quite fond of experimenting with every drug and drink the modern world had to offer. There was that...and well...he also had the sneaking suspicion that he wasn't _technically_ a virgin anymore. His parents had always taught him that that was a precious treasure to be given away at _his_ discretion, not at the choice of some demented, homicidal spirit.

Ryou sighed sadly and forced his aching body to stand and stretch. Well, there wasn't much he could about his problem at the moment. It was best not to dwell on it. He feared he might lose his own sanity if he did. _'Besides,_' he thought to himself with a slight smile, _'no matter how bad things get, they can always be worse.' _Though he certainly led a difficult life, he always tried to look on the bright side of things and keep an upbeat attitude. After all, no matter how long and frightening a storm was, it would have to pass someday and give way to the sun. Ryou knew in his heart that one day the rain in his life would stop, and the clouds would clear. It was this hope, a hope for a bright future, that allowed him to press on.

The teen headed for the bathroom to get ready, though somewhat dreading what he was going to find. Sure enough, an impressive bruise had formed under his bloodshot eye. In fact, his whole face looked a little puffy.

"Well, at least it's not too bad. Nothing I can't fix," he said aloud cheerfully.

He reached for the mild soap he kept reserved for mornings such as this and quickly washed his face. Following that, he got out a tiny bottle and squeezed a few drops of its contents into his eyes, immediately enjoying the ability to see more clearly. Next, he pulled out a container of salve and carefully applied it to the offending black spot on his left eye, then used a light powder matching his skin tone to cover it up. He observed his work with a small sense of pride, noting that he was getting rather good at making even the most unsightly blemishes (or bruises in his case) unnoticeable to the casual eye.

"I'd probably pass for a decent make-up artist," he thought ruefully as he ran a brush through his snow white hair.

_'Or a mortician,_' echoed a sudden hoarse reply in his mind.

Ryou groaned and rubbed his temple. It seemed the dark spirit was awake now, and more than ready to mentally torment his landlord before school.

_'No, come on! Think about it! You and I could go into business together! I'll supply the corpses, and you can fix 'em up pretty for their funerals. Think of the money we'd make!'_

Ryou knew there was no point in arguing with Bakura, so he chose not to respond.

Concluding his morning ritual, he gathered his books together and sat down on a stool at the kitchen counter to eat breakfast, all the while ignoring Dark Bakura's miscellaneous ramblings and threats. As he slowly chewed his cereal, he noticed something red and blinking out of the corner of his eyes and turned his attention to a small machine sitting next to the phone. The number 'one' was blinking on its digital screen. Curious, he reached over to press the playback button, and was pleasantly surprised to hear the cheerful, high pitched voice of a young girl.

"Hey, Ryou! Guess who it is?" A slight pause ensued. "It's me, Amane! You haven't called or written in a while. Are you okay? I miss you so much! Actually, I was wondering if it would be okay for me to come visit for a few days. Mom and Dad said it would be alright...oh! They told me to say hi and that they miss you too! So...can I? Please? I really wanna see you! Call back soon, okay? I love you, Ryou! Bye!" A click sound indicated that the message had concluded.

The teen smiled happily. Amane was his nine year old sister, and a loving and mature one at that. She was his best friend in the world, and he missed her dearly. He couldn't think of anything better than having her come stay with him for a few days. Unfortunately...

As if on cue, he heard what sounded like knuckles cracking and sensed an evil grin on Bakura's face_. 'So, your little sister's coming to visit, is she? It's been a while since I've played with **her**. I may have to take a trip to that little practical joke shop I saw the other day.'_

Ryou's smile quickly disappeared. While it was true that Bakura hadn't done anything to _seriously_ harm Amane, he didn't want to take the chance that he would. With a sad sigh, he washed his empty bowl and gathered his things. He decided to take his time in getting to school, all the while contemplating how he was going to tell his sister not to come.

* * *

Anzu breathed an exasperated sigh and put away the magazine she had been trying to read before school. It was impossible to concentrate with all the noise Jonouchi and Honda were making not three feet away at their respective desks. Well, there was that, and the fact that her mind kept drifting to a certain duelist with tri-colored hair and violet eyes. She swooned slightly and blushed, but quickly shook her head in order to regain her composure. While she was certainly no tomboy, such actions were still rather uncharacteristic of her. She also somewhat disliked herself for allowing such feelings to develop, mostly because she wasn't entirely sure she understood them. A part of her was drawn to the mysterious, confident spirit that had emerged from the Millennium puzzle and now shared a body with her good friend, but the other part adored the kind-hearted, gentle Yugi, and she herself could not choose between them, if indeed there was a choice to be made. 

Thankfully, Anzu rarely had the time to ponder such thoughts. There were usually far to many distractions, such as the near fight commencing next to her. She turned her attention to them just in time to watch Jonouchi catch Honda in an impressive headlock.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from my little sister!" Jonouchi shouted as his grip tightened around Honda's neck.

The latter struggled hard to break free, retorting, "It wasn't me! I swear! I don't even have her phone number! And even if I did, you couldn't do anything about it!" Thinking quickly, he kicked his friend behind the knee just hard enough for it to buckle and loosen his death grip. Honda pulled himself away and ran behind a row of desks, distancing himself from the irate, overprotective brother. It did little to stop him. "Stay away from me!"

Jonouchi continued to chase him around the room, all the while screaming rather obscene names at the top of his lungs.

Anzu shook her head with a smile and rolled her eyes. This scene was becoming a rather frequent occurrence, ever since the group of friends met Jonouchi's younger (and far cuter) sister Shizuka. She knew that those two would never really hurt each other and would soon make up in sequence following the fight and the uncomfortable silent treatment that would ensue. She kind of sympathized with Katsuya though. He and Shizuka had been separated at a young age when their parents divorced, and since then rarely saw one another. She realized that although both of them had grown up, a part of him still saw her and treated her as a child. He just wasn't ready to accept the fact that she had grown into a lovely young woman, one that was bound to attract quite a bit of attention. So much attention, in fact, that she had quite an impressive collection of phone numbers from various types of guys, including Honda's.

Luckily for him, Shizuka had plenty of intelligence to match her sweet disposition, and could handle herself in a pinch. Although she confided to Anzu that she did have her share of crushes, she preferred to concentrate on her schoolwork for the time being.

Anyway, she figured she'd better break up the fight, as school would begin in about ten minutes. Speaking of which, they were two friends short and she was beginning to get a little worried. _'I wonder where Yugi and Bakura are...'_ she thought as she grabbed Jonouchi's arm.

One of them chose that convenient moment to make his appearance. A blur of white and blue ran full speed into the room and skidded to a quick halt, the loud squeaking sound of his sneakers on the pale waxed floor attracting their attention and momentarily pausing the fight.

A frazzled looking Ryou murmured something nervously, but whatever it was got lost between his gasping irregular breaths.

The other three blinked for a second, but quickly recovered to greet their buddy. "Uh, good morning, Bakura," Anzu smiled.

"Hey there! Are...you alright? You don't look so good," Jonouchi commented, putting a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.

Ryou grabbed a hold of his collar and shook him violently. "Please! You've gotta hide me! Quick!" he blurted out.

Honda stepped up and gently pried his hands from Jonouchi's uniform, their previous fight now forgotten. "Huh? Calm down, man! What's gotten into you?"

"Oh, nothing. Just the usual," came a laughing, cheerful voice from the classroom's doorway. They turned to see Yugi snickering as he calmly entered to join them.

The others nodded in sudden understanding, also finding themselves attempting to suppress their laughs. Jonouchi stood tall and puffed out his chest. "Don't you worry, Bakura, I'll handle this. You go hide in the closet," he said confidently, pointing to a nearby door in the back of the room.

"Thanks, Jonouchi!" The white haired teen rushed to said door, yanked it open, and slammed it shut behind him.

Honda narrowed his eyes and smirked at his friend. "You'll _handle_ this? Admit it, you're just using it as an excuse to hit on the girls again!"

Jonouchi grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "So? Why can't it be both? I'm still helping, aren't I?" He turned to poke Hiroto in the chest and matched his expression. "Besides, you're just jealous because 'Little Miss Ribbon' likes Bakura and not you!"

The other growled angrily, then crossed his arms and closed his eyes to calm himself. "Hmph! You're one to talk! Don't you still have a thing for Mai?" He chuckled, knowing full well he'd hit a nerve.

Katsuya Jonouchi blushed madly, the image of the busty, hot-headed blond flashing in his mind. He might have remained transfixed by the mental image were it not for the increasingly loud shrieks and giggles approaching from the hallway. He shook his head quickly and forced himself to focus on his mission. "You just watch and learn, Rookie!" he huffed as he strutted over to greet the fast approaching crowd of girls.

"Are you sure he went this way?"

"Positive! Besides, I have his schedule memorized and this is his first class of the day!"

"Oh yeah! Well, I happen to know what all of his favorite games are!"

"So? I actually know how to **_play_** them!"

"But **_I'm_** the only one who has his dueling deck memorized card for card!"

The most prominent members of the Ryou Bakura fan club marched into the room and immediately spread out to search it for the object of their affection. It wasn't entirely uncommon for the girls of Domino High School to create such clubs for the cutest and most eligible boys around. Most of the ones currently in play centered around the jocks, though there were a few for the bad boys and the dramatic, poetic type. Poor Ryou had found himself hunted by one the very first day he'd transferred in, at first simply because he had the unfortunate luck to be rather handsome. As time wore on though, and the complication involving the Millennium Ring became apparent (with Yugi and his friends the only ones who knew its truth), he developed the bad boy reputation with the brooding, anti-social shyness to match. Most girls would have been scared away upon learning of his sudden and unpredictable "mood swings", but surprisingly, this attribute made Bakura even more desirable. As a result, he found himself having to deal with the unruly, obsessive club on a near daily basis.

In the darkness of the closet, Ryou held his breath and prayed that they wouldn't get a hold of him today. He was a little tired of having to replace torn uniforms and school supplies that went missing. While he was flattered by the attention, he was a little inexperienced when it came to the fairer sex, a point that his counterpart was quick to mock. Dark Bakura had once graciously offered his assistance in the matter, but Ryou was smart enough to know that no good would come of the thief's advice. As much as he liked the idea of having a girlfriend, he didn't enjoy the thought of his yami having yet another precious life to threaten and torment. He was already guilty of putting his friends at risk; he couldn't bear what might happen if he were to pursue a relationship.

He sighed softly. Yes, life was complicated.

Jonouchi casually moved to intercept two of the girls heading for the teacher's desk and pasted on his most charming smile. "Hello ladies! I noticed you seemed to be looking for something. Well, look no further, because the man of your dreams has arrived!" He ran his fingers through his light brown hair and winked at them.

"Eww! As if!" shrieked the taller of the two.

The other gripped her stomach for dramatic effect. "I think I'm gonna be sick!" she gasped. Both laughed cruelly, shoved him aside, and proceeded to look under the desk.

He frowned, then composed himself and moved on to speak to a slightly heavy set woman.

"Uh, sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think you're Bakura's type," he said, trying his best to be nice.

The girl turned and glared at him menacingly, hands on her hips. "You're wrong! Bakura-kun will LOVE me when he sees the Monster World table I've set up in his honor!" With an additional "hmph", she continued pushing away fellow students in search of her quarry.

Katsuya shrugged and gently tapped the shoulders of the popular Usagi twins as they looked behind the window curtains. "Hey there!" They paused and grudgingly gave him their attention. "I know you're **_both_** kinda set on Bakura, but I'm pretty sure he's a one woman kind of guy." He smirked mischievously. "I, however, have no problem with polygamy." The twins growled at him and cracked their knuckles simultaneously. He held up his hands in surrender. "But, if that doesn't work for you, I might be able to arrange a double date?" He rubbed his chin in thought. "Bakura might be less shy if I'm there to help set the mood."

The girls turned and whispered together, briefly considering his offer. In the end, they couldn't agree on which one would be stuck with Jonouchi, as the idea didn't appeal to either of them.

"I think we'll take our chances on our own..."

"...Thanks."

With that, they too walked away.

Jonouchi threw his hands up in frustration. He really envied Bakura for having such luck with the ladies, especially since he wasn't really trying. But then again, he _was_ cursed with the Millennium Ring, so in the cosmic perspective, he supposed it was an even trade.

He gasped suddenly when it finally registered in his mind that the girls had finished searching everywhere in the room, save the closet. The four he'd talked to were joined by three others as they ganged up on it slowly, knowing full well that Ryou _had_ to be in there. A thought crossed his mind, one that would certainly get him into trouble, but he had no other options.

_'Guess there's no choice,'_ he thought. He threw an "it was nice knowing you" glance at Yugi and the others and gave a slight wave. With that, he charged toward the crowd of unsuspecting girls.

"Ah! Jonouchi touched me!"

"He grabbed my butt!"

"He's pinching me!"

"Am not! I wouldn't touch **_you_** if my life depended on it!"

"Let's get him!"

The girls rounded on poor Katsuya, instantly forgetting what they had been doing. Yugi, Honda, and Anzu watched helplessly, weighing the consequences of staying back and jumping in to save their friend. In the end, they decided that even though he was helping Bakura, his ulterior motives had it coming.

The aggressive pile-up continued until one of the girls noticed the time, and informed the others that they'd be late for class. They all slowly untangled themselves from one another and their victim and brushed themselves off. Each one grunted and stomped toward the classroom door. One of the Usagi twins gave him one last kick in the leg.

When it was clear that they had all gone, Ryou hesitantly poked his head out of the closet and glanced around just to be sure. Seeing that the coast was clear, he rushed to Jonouchi's side and helped him to his feet. The others ran over as well.

"Are you okay, Jonouchi-kun?" he asked, concern and guilt written all over his face.

Honda rolled his eyes. "Oh course he is. He **enjoyed** that."

Katsuya grinned and gave a thumbs-up sign. Though his face had several bright red palm prints on it and he was overall pretty ruffled up, he couldn't help but laugh. "Of all the beatings I've ever gotten, that one was totally worth it!"

Anzu shook her head. "You're such a pervert, Jonouchi."

"Maybe," laughed Ryou, "but nevertheless, he totally saved me." He smiled at his friend in deep appreciation. "How can I ever repay you?"

He waved his hand in response. "Nah, don't sweat it. You'd a done the same for me. However, if you wanted to buy me a burger after school today, I certainly wouldn't object."

The other chuckled again. "You got it."

"Okay everyone. Take your seats." Their teacher entered just as the bell rang for first period and readied himself for his lecture.

The five friends quickly scrambled to their seats and got out their textbooks and notepads. Anzu threw a glance at Yugi when he quietly laughed at something, looking at the Millennium Puzzle dangling from his neck as he did so. She smiled slightly, blushing, and then turned her attention back to the front of the class.

The teacher picked up a note sitting on his desk and addressed the class. "Just a heads up. Looks like we'll be getting a new student sometime this week, so make sure they feel welcome." He set the note down. "Alright, pass your homework to the front and let's get started."

* * *

A dark haired young woman wearing a long black trench coat gazed up thoughtfully at one of the second story windows of Domino High School. She could barely make out the silhouette of a young man with wild hair, wearing a large pyramid pendant. As she watched, she absentmindedly reached into the inner pocket of her jacket, producing a single Duel Monsters card. She tore her eyes from the boy in the window and looked down at her card. 

"It won't be long now," she whispered to no one. "Very soon, you and I will meet again." She ran a finger over the picture on the card, then returned it to its hiding place. With one last glance at the teen, she continued on her way.

* * *

Well, that's it for Chapter One! Congratulations! You made it through. I know this one wasn't terribly exciting, but it's going to get better. Just had to set the stage. 

Constructive reviews are appreciated.

Thanks for reading! I'll be back soon with Chapter Two.

StandAlone


	2. A New Friend

**Yu-Gi-Oh: The Spirits of Exodia**

Welcome to Chapter Two of my story! I do hope I have _some_ readers out there who are interested in this. But if not, that's alright. I'm still having fun. :P

Once again, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!. If I did, the DVD's would be coming out much quicker.

* * *

**Episode Two: A New Friend**

The stars in the night sky as well as the line of street lamps he was following seemed unusually dim that evening. It was steadily becoming difficult for Yugi's keen sight to penetrate the fog and the darkness he had mistakenly wandered into. He was cold and lost, and more than a little nervous. He hugged himself in a vain attempt to warm his body as he carefully pressed on, all the while observing his surroundings with growing apprehension.

He paused suddenly and turned to glance over his shoulder. He thought he heard something; he was sure he did. It sounded like someone was following him. But there was no one there. All seemed dead and quiet. It was clear that he was completely alone on the normally busy avenue.

Yugi took one last look behind him, swallowed heavily, then continued on at a slightly faster pace.

There was no doubt about it now; something or someone was definitely following him. He could hear soft footfalls some distance away, gradually coming closer. He stopped again and whirled around, bracing himself for the attack he feared was coming.

Nothing happened.

Yugi half laughed, half whimpered as his eyes darted back and forth, searching every dark corner for movement. He took a few steps backward, then turned and bolted down the street.

He could hear it again; heavy panting and running feet pounded in his ears, drowning out the loud thumping of his own heart. It only served to fuel his fear. The young duelist was far from athletic, but the numerous beatings he'd received from local bullies had made him quite a skilled runner, despite the obvious disadvantage his short legs gave him. He forced his rapidly tiring body to press on past its limits, while paying little attention to where he was going. He was usually pretty good at pulling off the evasive maneuvers he reserved for such chases, but for some reason, his terror was overwhelming him past the point of reason. The only thought that consumed his mind was escape.

Yugi looked up in time to see the street veer in several different directions at its end. Following an instinct, he turned left into an alley covered in shadow. After a few short meters, he was rewarded with a concrete wall blocking his path.

He halted himself just in time to prevent a head on collision with the obstacle, but it wasn't enough to calm his sense of panic. He was trapped, with no where to hide and no time to retrace his steps.

A loud growling noise made him jump and pulled him from his thoughts. He gulped loudly and clenched his fists as he prepared to face his pursuer. He gasped in horror.

Standing before him was an enormous black wolf. Even with the heavy mist surrounding it, Yugi could see that its hair was standing on end and its ears were flattened to its head. Its eyes glowed a demonic red and it gnashed its razor sharp fangs at him, the growling increasing as its lips curled back menacingly.

As the wolf took a few steps toward him, the terrified teen backed away until he was up against the wall. He watched helplessly as it bent its upper body to the ground, assuming a crouching position with clawed feet spread apart. It snarled and shifted its weight to its back legs. The boy's eyes snapped shut just as the bear sized creature pounced, its gaping jaws closing around his exposed neck and its teeth easily tearing the fragile skin.

Yugi jumped up as he opened his eyes again, nearly falling off of his bed in the process. It took a moment for his mind to register where he was, his thoughts becoming coherent only after his erratic breathing evened out somewhat and his pulse began to slow to a normal level. Even then, sweat poured down his face and into his eyes, and his hands strayed to his neck. They shook as he worked to unfasten the dark blue choker he'd grown accustomed to wearing. His fingers lightly traveled the whole of his throat, seeking the deep flesh wounds he was so sure would be there. Finding nothing, he allowed a sense of calm to wash over him, though one hand remained on his neck as he tried to catch his breath.

When he finally managed to stop shaking, he closed his eyes and shook his head. 'Just a dream...' he thought. Even so, his throat still felt tight, constricted, as though the wolf's jaws were still fastened around it, choking the life from him.

Yugi took a deep breath and sought the back of his mind for the Pharaoh, semi hoping that a mental link would _not_ be established. He breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed his darkness was still resting, and had not been disturbed by the nightmare he'd had. The last thing he needed was to worry Yami.

He ran his hands through his unruly hair, wiping away some of the cold sweat in the process. His violet eyes traveled to his lap, where the choker had fallen when he'd removed it. He stared at it nervously, as though it would jump to life and attack him. It was a few moments before he reluctantly forced himself to put it on again.

Two a.m. flashed at him when Yugi dared to peek at the clock. He found himself feeling far more tired now than when he'd gone to bed hours earlier. Unfortunately, the dream had left him very shaken up, and he feared what might happen if he allowed himself to sleep again. In fact, he was sure that there would be no point in trying to rest anymore tonight. He sighed, threw aside the covers, and shifted to sit on the edge of the bed, legs dangling over the side. He stared at the floor ruefully, working hard to hold back the tears that had begun to form at the corners of his eyes. His hands clenched the sheets at his sides as he shook his head defiantly.

"No. I'm not going to cry. Not over this. Not over **_him_**," he whispered aloud to himself. The hikari immediately brushed away the tears. Yet sorrow and anger collided in his soul, threatening to burst his tender heart. He hugged himself as a single word hovered between his conscious and unconscious thought. 'Why?'

Realizing that he would receive no answer to his question, he decided to get out of bed. He sat down at his desk, switched on the lamp, and reached for the worn deck of playing cards he kept in the top drawer.

"It's going to be a long night," he mumbled as he set up a game of clock solitaire.

* * *

Mokuba took his time in opening his unfocused eyes to world. A beautiful, soft melodic tune danced in the air and at the edges of his mind, threatening to lull him back to sleep. 'So pretty, but...so sad. What is that?' he wondered, his mind becoming slightly more alert. He closed his eyes again, listening intently, enjoying the gentle hum of music.

"Master Mokuba..." The song stopped in order to make way for spoken words, though the tones were one in the same with the lullaby.

"Hmmm?" he mumbled, slowly forcing his eyes open again.

"Mokuba, it's time to wake up."

He rubbed his eyes in response and gazed at the ceiling. His thoughts strayed between waking and sleeping dreams. And before he could stop himself, a word that was rather foreign in his usual vocabulary escaped his lips. "Mother?"

"Mother? What a silly thing for an orphan to say." These words, though not unkind, were followed by light giggles that vaguely reminded him of tinkling bells.

Mokuba swiftly sat up and turned to see a young woman with a laughing face smiling down at him from the bedside. She had beautiful brown eyes, straight blond hair, and very fair skin. Though she was wearing Domino High School's standard uniform for girls, she was also sporting one of the frilly white aprons that all of Kaiba Corp's maids had. She looked to be about Seto's age.

"AAAHHH!" He instantly ducked under the covers. He heard her laugh again from his position beneath the blankets.

"I'm so sorry, Master Mokuba! I didn't mean to startle you!"

The boy cautiously peeked out from his hiding place, hoping that the girl couldn't see how red his face was. "You didn't scare me," he replied.

"What then? Not used to having girls younger than forty see you in your pajamas? Not to worry! I think they're pretty cute!"

"Erm, thanks?" Mokuba slowly untangled himself from the sheets. He didn't bother to confirm that her suspicions were dead on. Shaking his head, he cleared his throat and sat up straight on his bed, adopting his business like attitude. He looked her square in the eye. "So, who are you and what are you doing in my room?" He gave her a cold glare that would make his big brother proud.

The young lady gasped, eyes widened. "Oops! I'm sorry! Where **_are_** my manners?" She stood erect, and brought a hand to her forehead in mock salute. "Nurse Isis! Reporting for my first day of work!"

Mokuba just stared at her.

She giggled once more, relaxing her posture. "What I mean to say is, my name is Isis, and I've just been hired by the Kaiba Corporation to be your caretaker and, if necessary, your tutor." She gave him a gentle smile that made him feel warm and floaty. "Well, that's the official job description anyway." She held out a hand to him. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Master Mokuba. And even though I'll be working for you, I hope we can be friends."

The young Kaiba instantly found himself feeling at ease with her as he shook her hand. "Well, that clears things up a bit," he replied with a chuckle. He _had_ previously been informed that a new maid/assistant would be hired to keep an eye on him, and he remembered not being particularly happy with the idea at first. He was already hounded by rather annoying bodyguards watching his every movement, so having yet another constant companion didn't sit too well with him. But now that he met this new (and rather pretty) employee, he felt he might be able to deal with it. "And it's nice to meet you too, Isis." He smirked then and waved a finger at her. "But, if we're going to be friends, you can't go around calling me 'master'. Just 'Mokuba' will do."

"As you wish."

The dark haired Kaiba laced his fingers behind his head and observed her thoughtfully. "Isis...that's Egyptian, isn't it?"

"Why, yes it is! You're pretty smart, Mokuba." The young lady beamed at him.

He blushed a little at the compliment.

Isis clasped her hands behind her back and swayed, shifting her weight from heel to toe like a little girl reciting a poem in front of a class. "My parents named me after a prominent Egyptian goddess. It's an honor really. She was described as the true personification of womanhood, a loving and faithful mother and wife, among other things. And, I don't mean this in a bragging sort of way, but my name was well chosen."

Mokuba cocked his head to the side. "Why's that?"

She regarded him meticulously, as though trying to decide how much she should say. "Well," she said after a little pause, "let's just say the goddess and I have a lot of things in common."

He wanted to know more, but she gave him the distinct impression that she would reveal nothing else just yet.

"Oh!" she gasped suddenly, looking at her watch. "We've wasted too much time! We shall all be late for school if we don't hurry. I'll leave so you can get dressed." She headed for the door.

"Huh? Who's we?"

Isis stopped and regarded him curiously. "Why, you, me, and Master Seto Kaiba, of course." She laughed at the confused expression on his face. "I've just transferred to Domino High School for the remainder of the year. I'm only working part time afterwards. I know! I know! I'll explain later! Hurry now! I'll wait for you downstairs." With that, she closed the door behind her.

Mokuba shook his head at his own stupidity. She _was_ wearing a high school uniform; he should have guessed that it wasn't just for fun. But wait...Kaiba Corp didn't normally hire students; there was an age limit after all. He supposed that's what she meant when she said she'd explain later.

Realizing that Seto would be cranky if he made them all late, he jumped out of bed and snatched the school uniform that had been laid out for him on the dresser. He dressed in record time, grabbed his backpack, and ran to the nearest elevator that would take him to the first floor of the Kaiba mansion.

Seto and Isis were waiting at the front entrance when he made his appearance, the latter having removed her apron. She called to him and waved brightly, taking no notice of the suspicious glares her brown haired boss was giving her.

"Mornin' Seto. Sorry for making you wait." He grinned apologetically at his elder brother.

Kaiba spun, turning his back to him, and headed for the door. "Just don't make it a habit, Mokuba."

His companions hurried to follow him to the limo that would drop them off at their respective schools. One of the bodyguards opened the car door and motioned for them to hurry inside. Mokuba stopped and gestured for Isis to get in first, playing the part of the gentleman that Seto seemed incapable of. After the Kaiba brothers settled in, the door closed, and they were off.

Mokuba chuckled as he watched Isis, who was gawking in awe at the expensive luxuries surrounding her. Clearly she wasn't used the high life, and it amused him to see her view everything with wonder and appreciation. She calmed down after the Kaiba mansion was out of site, and faced Seto to politely address him.

"Thank you very much for offering to take me to school, Kaiba-san." The younger was a little surprised to hear her switch to traditional Japanese honorifics. She hadn't used them when she'd been talking to him earlier. In addition, he now noticed that she had an accent that he was sure he'd heard before.

"Hmph. Don't get used to it. Since you're still new to Domino City, I'll take it easy on you today. But don't expect special treatment just because you're Mokuba's caretaker. I require nothing but the best from my employees. In fact, since you're going to be responsible for my little brother from now on, I'll be expecting far more," he answered coldly.

She nodded, seemingly unfazed by his demeanor. "I'm confident that I will not disappoint you, Sir."

Mokuba looked over at her, impressed by the way she handled herself with his intimidating brother. Even their bodyguards shook under their employer's death glare. Yes, he was definitely beginning to like her.

"Say, uh, Isis?" Mokuba hated awkward silences, and decided that thirty seconds was too long for this one.

"Yes?"

"This morning, I thought I heard you singing..."

She rewarded him with that same grin that made him feel light headed. "Did you like it? I can't claim to be much of a musician, but I very much enjoy that particular song."

"What is it?"

She folded her hands in her lap and her eyes took on a slightly glazed look. "It's an old Egyptian hymn that praises and chronicles the life of my patron goddess. It was often performed at worship ceremonies in her honor, and many ancient writers composed plays and shows based on this song. These plays were likewise performed at festivals in her name."

"Huh. I wouldn't have guessed that. It sounded kinda sad. It made me want to cry."

Seto made a small grunting noise, showing his disapproval of admitting the weaknesses of tears. For once, Mokuba ignored him.

Isis's face softened into a more sad expression, though she still smiled. "Yes, I suppose it does. But then again, it **_is_** a rather bittersweet song. Every life is. You two should know that better than anyone." Her eyes locked with Mokuba's in a quiet understanding that made him blush again.

"Tell me again the circumstances under which my company hired you," Seto interrupted, a discontented scowl evident on his stoic face.

She turned and gave him her full attention. "Sora-san, your own head maid, was the one who actually hired me. Even though I am still a student myself, she seemed to think that my young age would be beneficial in my overall performance as Mokuba's caretaker. In addition, I likewise have no family of my own, and thus may be able to understand him better, and I will not be weighed down with concern for what I do not have."

Mokuba hesitated to add anything. For just a moment, he believed he heard a hint of some sort of accusation in Isis's voice, but his young mind could not detect what it meant. Her expression confirmed his suspicions. While her pleasant grin never left, her eyes seemed to harden just a little as she stared into Kaiba's.

Just then, one of the bodyguards riding up front rapped on the tinted window separating the two compartments. The threesome observed their surroundings and discovered they'd reached Domino Middle School, Mokuba's stop.

Mokuba made a show of stretching and gathered his things, hoping to break the sudden tense moment. "Well, here's where I get out. I guess I'll see ya both later." He opened the door and jumped out.

"Hold on, Mokuba." Seto reached into his own briefcase and fished out a handful of white envelopes. He handed them to his brother. "Don't forget these. They're your birthday party invitations."

His face brightened immediately. "Oh! Thanks a lot Seto!" He promptly shoved them into his own bag, then looked up questioningly.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to give Yugi and those other losers theirs."

He nodded enthusiastically, then turned to Isis. "Not that I don't trust him, but will you make sure he does Isis? Yugi's a friend of mine at Domino High. You'll probably meet him today; he's really nice. But Seto doesn't really like him too much."

She made a gesture with her hand as an indication that she understood. "Of course. I'll make sure Kaiba-san doesn't forget."

"Alright. Thanks, Isis! See ya after school!" With one last wave, Mokuba ran off to join a group of kids calling to him from the playground. He hesitated and looked back to watch the limo drive away again. He hoped they would be okay. He got the feeling from that last conversation that they weren't going to get along very well. 'Oh well. It'll be alright,' he thought with a shrug. Pushing his worries from his mind, he set about handing out the party invitations.

Back in the limo, Isis and Seto stared in opposite directions, each consumed in their own thoughts. It wasn't until they were almost to the high school when one of them finally spoke.

"You're Egyptian," Kaiba stated simply.

She repaid him with a smirk. "What gave me away?" she asked, a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice.

He frowned heavily. "Your name, for one. Not to mention your accent and your knowledge of Egyptian mythology." He gave her a smug grin of his own. "Though I have to say, your appearance is far from your country's vision of the ideal woman."

Her voice dropped to a light whisper. "Hmm. I suppose I am a bit of a black sheep, aren't I?" She studied his face. "Not a big fan of my people?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I wouldn't say that. But I have had some rather unpleasant experiences with a few of them."

"Well, I hope I won't be another one, Kaiba-san."

Kaiba scowled again, feeling rather irritated with her ever present smile. It reminded him of a particular unbeatable duelist that insisted on being impossibly accommodating and friendly. No doubt Yugi and Isis would get along very well.

A second tap on the window informed them that they'd arrived at the high school. Seto and Isis stepped out and wasted no time in entering the building. Once inside, he lingered a moment and pointed down the hall.

"You'll need to report to the main office. Follow this hall to the end and take a right. You can't miss it. Someone there will help you find your way."

Isis bowed lightly. "Thank you, Kaiba-san. I'm sure I'll be alright."

He grunted and headed on to his first class.

* * *

"Ugh! I lost again!" Honda howled. He threw down his hand in frustration and crossed his arms.

Sitting across from him, Ryou laughed. "Sorry about that Honda-kun."

Anzu clapped Bakura on the shoulder. "You don't need to apologize to him. He's just not much of a duelist." She smirked at the latter.

Honda stuck his nose in the air indignantly. "Well, at least **_I'm_** not afraid to play him. Jonouchi won't even come within five feet of Bakura's occult deck." He jumped when something hit him hard in the back of his head from across the room. Yugi, Anzu, and Ryou laughed as Hiroto tackled Katsuya in revenge.

Yugi rubbed his eyes and yawned, his mouth opening wider than anyone thought possible.

Anzu observed him sympathetically. There were dark circles under his eyes, and all his movements were sluggish and forced. "What's wrong, Yugi? You look exhausted," she asked, concern clearly written on her soft features.

He yawned again, then smiled reassuringly. "Nothing, Anzu. I just couldn't sleep last night, that's all." He chose not to tell her about the horrible nightmares that had begun to torment him once more.

She wasn't convinced. He hadn't made eye contact with anyone that morning. It brought back memories of their freshman year, before Yugi solved the Millennium Puzzle and became a more confident, outgoing person. Before he acquired any sort of courage and learned to have more respect for himself. Back then, he would _always_ look down, too shy and unsure of himself. While many things had changed since then, some of his mannerisms never truly disappeared. Aside from the Pharaoh, she knew Yugi better than anyone, and was able to recognize when something wasn't right with him. One of his clear tells was to avoid looking anyone right the eye. She knew he just didn't want to burden anyone, but the more he acted like nothing was wrong, the more she worried. By now, however, she trusted that Yugi had faith in his friends, and would open up when he was ready to. So for now, she just nodded in understanding.

"Good morning, class," came the exuberant voice of their teacher. He more or less ignored the fight that instantly halted upon his entrance and waited for everyone to settle down.

Honda made a face at Jonouchi that said "we'll finish this later". Ryou quickly cleaned up and put away his dueling deck.

After they all took their seats, the instructor waved a hand towards the door, motioning for someone to enter. "If you'll recall, I mentioned yesterday that a new student would be joining us for the remainder of the school year. Today is her first day, so please help her to adjust and settle in." He turned to address a young woman. "Please tell us your name and perhaps a little something about yourself."

The new student bowed politely. "My name is Isis Nebuut. I'm originally from Egypt. I've actually been to Domino City before, but I'm afraid I still get lost rather easily. My favorite subjects are music and history."

Yugi and his friends immediately perked up in interest upon hearing her mention Egypt.

Their teacher nodded in response. "Thank you, Isis. You can take a seat now. Let's see...ah! Over there, next to Yugi Mutou." He pointed out the spiky haired boy with the pyramid pendant.

Isis obeyed at once and sat down. She set her sites on Yugi and gave him a wide grin, one that Anzu didn't fail to notice.

Yugi blushed, immediately looking down at his desk. His mind took no notice as the teacher began scribbling notes on the board that he probably should have been copying.

In the brief moment his eyes connected with that of the new girl's, he felt something strange, familiar. At first it was a sense of calm, and comfort, but it was immediately replaced with a sharp prick in his chest. One hand unconsciously clutched the folds of his shirt over where his heart was. He peered over at her out of the corner of his eyes. 'Isis...'

* * *

Yugi and his friends quickly filed out of the building when the bell rang for lunch. All of them stretched and breathed in the fresh air as they searched for a sunny spot to eat.

Jonouchi growled aloud. "Man, I'm telling you guys, that math final's gonna be a killer! I'll be lucky if I pass."

Honda poked him in the side. "Yeah. It's a miracle you've made it this far already, Dimwit."

Hands suddenly curled into fists. "What did you say!"

"Guys! Enough already! Can't you get through just one **_hour_** without fighting!" Anzu interrupted, stepping between the two.

Behind them, Ryou laughed. "Don't worry, Anzu. Fighting is just how those two show they care about each other. Besides, I think the finals have everyone on edge."

Both of them stuck their tongues out at each other, but calmed down nonetheless.

Yugi barely took notice of the whole conversation. In fact, he hadn't been paying much attention to anything all day. His mind was fixated on the new student. There was something about her...but he just couldn't place it. His thoughts were unfocused and incoherent, there one moment and gone the next. He decided it was time to alert Yami of the situation.

'Hey, Pharaoh. You there?' he asked silently.

He heard a yawn, followed by a sarcastic, _'No Yugi, I'm not.'_

Yugi rolled his eyes. 'Whatever. Listen, we got a new student in class today. Her name is Isis and she says she's from Egypt.'

A troubled hush followed. Though he couldn't see his other self, he pictured narrowed eyes and a contemplative frown on his face. _'Have you talked to her yet?'_

His friends glanced at him when he visibly shook his head. 'Nope. Haven't had the chance.' Another silence ensued as everyone finally sat down under a tree and pulled out their lunches to eat. While the others immediately dug in, Yugi just stared at his sandwich, his thoughts straying again.

_'What is it, aibou? Your mind seems restless,'_ Yami said.

The other took a tiny bite of his food and chewed slowly, trying his best put his worries into words. 'I'm not really sure. I just sensed something really strange about her.' He scratched his head and looked up at the clear blue sky. "I feel like I've met her before."

"I kinda feel that way too, Yugi," Ryou said abruptly.

He looked up, a little embarrassed. He hadn't realized that he'd spoken his last comment aloud.

Honda surveyed both Yugi and Ryou, but swallowed his food before speaking. "Are you guys talking about the new girl? Isis?"

Both nodded. Ryou scratched his chin. "I don't know exactly what **_you_** sensed, Yugi. But I've got the strangest feeling that I've seen her somewhere before."

"Maybe you have. Didn't she say she's been to Domino City before?" Jonouchi pointed out, his mouth stuffed with chips.

Ryou shook his head. "But I've only been here a year myself, remember? And I still don't really know a lot of people except for you guys." He tucked a few strands of his long white hair behind his ear before continuing. "It's not a very strong feeling. It's like...passing the same person on the street everyday. You'd vaguely recognize them, but for some reason, not know from where."

Honda, Jonouchi, and Anzu nodded in understanding while Yugi shook his head. "I get what you mean, Bakura, but it's somehow stronger for me." His brows furrowed in frustrated confusion. "I almost feel like I **_should_** know who she is. Like she's important somehow."

Beside him, Honda snickered. "Important, huh? Maybe she's a long lost love from your childhood."

Yugi tensed, his face turning bright red. "What are you talking about?"

Jonouchi smirked as well. "Come on, pal! Don't think we didn't notice! That girl was totally checking you out!" Both he and Honda started laughing.

"What! She was not!" yelled two voices in union. All eyes turned to Anzu, whose own face was awash in color. She hadn't meant to say anything.

Yugi felt a mental nudge. _'See? What did I tell you? Anzu **totally** likes you!'_ Yami said. He chuckled, feeling his hikari resist the urge to abandon lunch and retreat to his mind in order to chase him down.

"Excuse me. Would you mind terribly if I joined you all?" interrupted a soft voice.

Everyone rounded to the direction of the voice only to find the subject of their discussion. Isis bowed and smiled politely.

All of them stared at her, not really knowing what to do at first. Yugi eventually returned the girl's smile and nodded, prodded by the Pharaoh to get more information. "Uh, yeah. Please." He motioned for Bakura and Jonouchi to make a little room for her to sit down in their circle.

She neatly took a seat between the two. "Yugi Mutou, right?" she asked him, extending a hand in his direction.

He reached over and shook it. "Yeah. It's nice to meet you, Isis. And these are my friends: Anzu, Bakura, Jonouchi, and Honda." He pointed out each one as he said their names. They in turn waved or smiled at her.

She nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I've heard a little bit about you from some of my co-workers at Kaiba Corp."

Anzu blinked in surprise. "You're working for Kaiba?"

Jonouchi groaned. "Why would you **_want_** to work for that jerk!"

Isis laughed. "I understand your surprise. I've only talked to him briefly, and he certainly doesn't seem like the friendly type." She flicked her hair behind her. "I'm actually only working part time after school as Mokuba's caretaker. I guess his elder brother is a little too busy to hang out with him much lately, so I'll be kinda looking after him. I'm rather excited actually. Mokuba seems like a good kid."

"Eh. He's alright," Honda said. "He can be a bit of a brat too sometimes though."

"But not nearly as bad as Kaiba," Katsuya mumbled, fists clenched.

Isis giggled, then slapped herself on the forehead. "Oh! I almost forgot! Mokuba is having a birthday party this week, and you're all invited. Kaiba has the invitations, so make sure you get them from him sometime today."

"I didn't know it was Mokuba's birthday!" Anzu exclaimed.

"I'm more surprised that we're invited to his party," Ryou replied, "since Kaiba doesn't really seem to like us all that much."

Isis nodded. "He didn't seem too thrilled about it, but Mokuba insisted that you all be there."

Anzu turned to Yugi. "Guess that means we'll have to go shopping for a present, huh?"

He made no reply, much to his friend's annoyance. He was studying Isis's face intently, trying to place where he might have seen it before. He likewise kept the mental link between himself and Yami open so he could listen in and assess the situation. So far, the Pharaoh made no comments.

Isis chose that moment to look down at Yugi's Puzzle in slight interest. She cocked her head to the side. "The eye of Horus," she whispered. She shifted her gaze to his face. "If I may ask, could that possibly be a Millennium item?"

There was a collective gasp from all of them. In his mind, Yugi felt his partner's focus intensify. Rather than answer directly, Yami suggested the roundabout approach. "What do you know of the Millennium Items?" his light asked.

The girl looked over the pyramid again. "Not much. Most Egyptians know the legend: that there are seven golden items once possessed by the Pharaoh and his court, and said to grant their wielders mysterious shadow powers But very few take it as fact." She chuckled and shook her head. "Who would have guessed that it's true?"

All of them shifted uncomfortably. This is what they had feared from the moment they saw her. Most of the people they met who'd known of the Millennium Items sought them for their power, and were more than willing to do away with their current owners in order to have them. They wondered if perhaps this Isis meant to do the same.

She, however, seemed surprised at their expressions. "Is something wrong? Did I say something weird?" she inquired.

It was Jonouchi who answered. "No offense, Isis. But we've learned the hard way not to trust anyone who knows what the Millennium Puzzle really is." His eyes narrowed into a scowl.

She appeared upset by this. "Really? I had no idea. I mean, certainly I've heard the legend, and that's why I recognize it, but to be honest, I was never all that interested in them."

Most of them seemed unsure. They'd been deceived far too many times not to be wary. Yugi, on the other hand, felt convinced. Perhaps he was simply too trusting for his own good. But looking into her eyes at that moment, he didn't see any hint of dishonesty. He just saw...

He let his conscious thought slip away from both himself and Yami for the moment. He grinned warmly. "I believe you, Isis. We don't mean to be suspicious, it's just that..."

"You need to be careful," she finished for him. The Egyptian breathed a sigh of relief and her beautiful smile returned. "It's alright. I understand."

Despite his assurance, the others relaxed only a tad.

Sensing that the situation wasn't going to get better by itself, Ryou decided it was time to ask the question that had been nagging both him and Yugi earlier. "Um, Isis? I, uh, don't mean this to sound weird, but I was wondering...have we met before? I sorta feel like I've seen your face somewhere."

Isis faced him, a reflective look in her eyes. "Hmmm. I'm really not sure. I honestly don't think I've ever met **_you_** before."

Yugi blinked. "What about me? I feel that same way Bakura does. I could swear that I know you from some place. I just can't remember where."

She returned her gaze to him, a mysterious grin dancing on her pale lips. "Perhaps **_we_** have, Yugi."

Beside him, Anzu looked intently from one to the other, shocked and annoyed by the way they seemed to be gazing in each other's eyes. There was even a hint of a blush on her friend's cheeks. She quickly stood up, her body reacting before her mind told her to. The movement broke the moment as everyone's attention was redirected to her. Surprised at herself, she laughed nervously.

"Say, uh, isn't it almost time to be heading back to class?" She breathed a sigh of relief when a glimpse at her watch verified her sudden outburst.

They all agreed and slowly got up, gathering their belongings and disposing of trash in a nearby receptacle. Yugi frowned enviously at the birds gathering around the sandwich with a single bite out of it.

The group was quiet for the most part as they dragged themselves back towards the front entrance. About half way there, Isis (who was walking rather close to the young champion duelist) spoke up again.

"Um, Yugi, there was something I was going to ask you..." she began.

He glanced up at her. "Yes?"

She looked away nonchalantly, and twirled a few strands of hair around her fingers. "Well, you see, I rode with Kaiba this morning, but he has some business meetings to go to after school, so he won't be able to drop me off at the mansion. And I don't really know my way around." Now she faced him, regarding him with the same smile she had that morning in class, that same one the made his head and heart feel rather strange. "So I was wondering...I mean...if it's not too much trouble...if you might be able to escort me home."

"Uh," Yugi hesitated, his face turning a brilliant shade of red, and he quickly severed his mental link with Yami. He didn't really want to know what his other was thinking at the moment. He was pretty sure he heard snickering before he cut him off. "Well..."

"If I may make a suggestion..." Anzu interrupted, suddenly jumping between them. She reached over and grabbed Ryou's arm, pulling him towards them. "I'm sure Yugi wouldn't mind walking you there, but it **_is_** kinda out of his way. On the other hand, Bakura here passes by Kaiba Corp on his way home. So he could probably take you." She unconsciously dug her nails threateningly into his arm. "How about it, Bakura?"

He quickly yanked his arm from her grasp, rubbing the sore spot and looking rather flustered. "Uh, yeah. Sure. I'd be happy too." His own face felt a little hot, both because of Anzu's outburst, and at the thought of being alone with Isis.

If Isis was in any way disappointed with this turn of events, she hid it well. "Really? That'd be great, Bakura! Thank you so much!" His face warmed up even more as she beamed at him.

Anzu clapped her hands together happily. "Great! Then it's settled. Take good care of her, Bakura." She was finding it hard to suppress her glee over her successful suggestion.

A loud ringing sound disrupted any further conversation. They all sprinted the remaining distance to the building and separated for their afternoon classes. As they ran, both Yugi and Ryou threw one last glance at the blond haired beauty as she headed in the opposite direction, both now more confused than they had been that morning.

* * *

The rest of the school day was uneventful for the most. As Isis had predicted, Kaiba stopped each one of them in the hall between classes in order to give them their invitations to Mokuba's birthday party. Jonouchi came very close to starting a fist fight with the grumpy president as a result of a few choice insults, but was held back by Bakura and Honda.

The students cheered when they were finally released from their intellectual prison for the day and were quick to find better things to do with their time. Yugi and his friends gathered at the same tree they'd had lunch under to discuss group study sessions as well as brainstorm possible gifts for Mokuba. The meeting was brief, and concluded when Isis finally joined them.

"Sorry I'm late. I had to check out a few books from the library," she explained to them.

"Nah, don't worry about it," Jonouchi shrugged. Both he and Honda decided that if Yugi thought Isis could be trusted, then they'd give her the benefit of the doubt as well.

"We just agreed to go to the mall after school tomorrow and do some shopping for the party," Hiroto filled her in. "Wanna come?" He and Katsuya exchanged a knowing smirk. After everything that had happened at lunch, the two thought I'd be amusing to see what would come of having Isis spend more time with them, specifically Yugi.

She leapt a little, clearly excited that she had been invited, but then shook her head. "I'd love to, but I've got to work. Thank you for asking though!"

Anzu stretched and yawned loudly. "Well, I think it's about time we headed home. I've got a TON of homework to do." She gently put a hand on Yugi's shoulder and smiled. "Ready?"

He nodded. "Yep." He waved to them all as he and Anzu began to walk away. "See ya tomorrow, guys!"

The others returned the gesture and went their own ways, Jonouchi and Honda heading in two separate directions and a nervous Ryou Bakura walking side by side with Isis in another.

Anzu and Yugi walked on leisurely for a while in the direction of his grandfather's game shop, both distracted by their own feelings. The shorter boy seemed to find the ground a rather interesting site, yet the look in his eyes was distant, unseeing. Anzu observed him attentively, wondering to where, or to whom, his mind strayed. After a while, she ventured to ask him about it.

"You're thinking about Isis, aren't you?" she accused. Even she was surprised at how direct she'd been.

He looked up at her, snapped from his daze. "Huh? I'm sorry, did you say something?"

She glanced away in disappointment. "Guess that's a yes," she grumbled softly.

Yugi blinked in surprise and shook his head. "Huh? Anzu, no! It's not like that! I mean..." He trailed off, attempting to grasp his elusive thoughts. He took a deep breath. "Well, yes. I was thinking about her, but not for the reason you think."

Confused, she faced him again, wondering what he meant.

He stared at the ground once more. His blond bangs feel over his face, shadowing his features from her view. "I...I was thinking about...her eyes." He attempted to clarify before Anzu overreacted again. "I was thinking that...she has Yami's eyes."

"Huh?"

* * *

Ryou concentrated his line of sight forward, his back straight as a board, looking much like a soldier on his death march. It wasn't that he didn't like Isis; he was just so clumsy and inexperienced when it came to girls. The only ones he felt comfortable around were his mother, sister, and Anzu. And the only reason he was okay with Anzu is because she was more like "one of the guys". He sighed. 'What am I supposed to do? Should I say something?' he asked himself. 'Think!' He dared to peek at her from the corner of his eye.

Isis was observing her surroundings carefully, and her lips were moving just slightly whenever they passed a sign or store that stood out. He realized that she was trying to memorize landmarks that would help her remember her way. That was probably a good place to start a conversation.

"Er...um...Isis?" Ryou turned red with shyness and he refused eye contact.

She shifted so she could see his face better, grinning widely. "Yes, Bakura?"

"Well, uh, I know how hard it is trying to get around a big city. I remember when I first moved here; it was hard trying to remember street names, which way to turn where, and all that." He took a deep breath. "Well, my apartment isn't far from Kaiba Corp, and I, uh, I made up a little phrase to help me remember which way to go."

She clapped her hands together excitedly. "Really? What is it?"

"Um, well, I know it sounds really dumb, but when you need to get home, you just have to remember _Ru-Lo-Ro_," he answered, now feeling really embarrassed.

Isis cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Ru...Lo...Ro?"

He laughed at the absurdity of his own making. "Yeah. It's like a little code. It means: right on Umi Avenue, left on Orochi Street, and finally right on Oni Street. Ru-Lo-Ro."

"Right on Umi, left on Orochi, and right on Oni," she repeated.

"Yeah. In fact, here's our first turn." Ryou pointed out the intersecting street signs, one of which read 'Umi Avenue'. They paused at the lights, waiting for the signal to cross and continued on their way when the traffic came to a halt.

Isis looked back at the sign and giggled in amusement. "Ru-Lo-Ro. Wow! You're right! That makes things really easy. That's a really smart idea, Bakura." Her infectious smile seemed to put him at ease.

He chuckled humbly and put on arm behind his head. "Nah, not really." His posture relaxed as they walked on. "Anyway, Kaiba Corp's main facility is on the corner of Orochi and Oni, so you don't really have to remember it all. It just seems like a long way to go because Umi Ave is really long."

"Well, thanks a lot. Now I won't have to worry about getting lost," she replied. Another brief silence followed, yet this one wasn't as tense and awkward. It was Isis who finally began another dialogue. "So, Bakura, I heard some girls say that you like board games, and that your favorite is Monster World."

His eyes skimmed over her face, a little stunned that she'd mention that. "Uh, yeah. Yeah it is."

"I've never heard of it before. What's it like?"

"Oh. Well, its like a role-playing game played on a board of interconnecting blocks. Depending on how many players you have, teams are formed. One side is the 'Dark Master' and all the monsters while the other is a group of adventurers. Using miniatures on the board, they act out a story and whichever side defeats the other first wins," Ryou explained. He secretly felt rather pleased that she seemed interested in something he enjoyed so much.

She gasped in delight. "Wow! That sounds like a lot of fun! Do you think you could teach me to play sometime?"

He felt his face get a little warm again. "Uh, well, sure. I guess. If you really want me to." She nodded enthusiastically.

The end of the conversation found them at the gates of the Kaiba mansion. Isis moved to face Bakura, smiling in appreciation. "Well, this is it. Thanks for walking me home. And now I don't think I'll be getting lost too easily either. I owe you one, Bakura."

He easily matched her expression. "Nah. Don't mention it," he said, lacing his hands behind his head again. "Happy to help."

A small pause. "Well. I should be going now. Mokuba's probably waiting for me."

"Okay."

Isis opened the front gate using the pass code given to her by her superiors. She waved at him through the closed bars. "See ya in school tomorrow, Bakura!"

He returned the gesture. "Yep. Have a good night, Isis!" He watched her a moment more as she strolled to the front door and disappeared inside. A goofy grin never left his face as he continued on to his own apartment, whistling cheerfully the whole way.

* * *

A few hours later found Yami sitting at the end of Yugi's bed, the board on which his wolf puzzle was spread out resting on his lap. He grunted in annoyance as he shifted various pieces aside, occasionally picking up one or two and trying to fit it in the space he was working on. Unable to find the correct match, he'd go back to looking through more piles of pieces. His only consolation to his lack of progress was that Yugi hadn't made much on his puzzle last night either. Speaking of...he glanced over at the spectral form of his hikari lying on the other end of the bed, staring up at the ceiling silently. He hadn't said much of anything since getting home from school, not even offering a snide remark to encourage his frustration. He hated to admit it, but the silence was becoming more unnerving than the usual snickering.

Yami set down the piece he was fingering and sighed. The more he worried about what was bothering Yugi, the less headway he'd make on his project.

"Yugi?" He received no initial answer and the mental link remained closed to him. He tried again. "Yugi?" Again, no answer. Whatever he was thinking about was doing a very good job of distracting him. Briefly becoming irritated, he leaned over to set the puzzle on the ground, and picked up a pillow. He quickly threw it at his aibou's head, despite the fact that it passed right through him harmlessly. However, it was enough to get his attention.

Yugi jumped up in surprise at having something thrown through his face. _'Ahh! What!'_ He sat up straight and glared at his other self.

The Pharaoh looked at him sympathetically. "Sorry. But you haven't said a word all night. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

Yugi easily pasted on a grin. _'Oh. Well, I'm fine, Pharaoh. I was just going over some formulas in my head for a quiz tomorrow. I figured that would annoy you, so I was keeping my mind separate from yours.'_

Yami narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, meticulously analyzing his partner's face. "You're lying," he stated flatly.

Yugi gasped angrily and crossed his arms. _'What! I am not!'_

His darkness shook his head. "Please. Do you really think you can fool me? I know you better than anyone. I think I have a pretty good idea of when something's bothering you."

The younger's face immediately melted in defeat. He sighed, then gradually opened his mouth to speak_. 'Well, I was thinking...about Isis.'_

The other self smirked in sudden interest. "Oh really?"

Yugi groaned and rolled his eyes_. 'Would you give it a rest!'_ he snapped. Without an appropriate distraction to keep the Pharaoh's mind occupied, he was becoming increasingly mischievous. In any other situation, he might be more amused, but the first sign of returning nightmares and the arrival of the mysterious girl put him on edge.

Yami's eyes widened in surprised at his outburst. Now he was sure something was wrong. While they'd had their share of arguments, he'd never seen him this upset before. "Aibou..."

He immediately regretted his tone_. 'Sorry,'_ he whispered dejectedly. _'I guess I'm just a little worried.'_

"I understand, Yugi." Yami leaned back against the wall and examined his partner's face, searching for the words that had been eluding them earlier. "A strange girl from Egypt, one who knows of the Millennium Items, transfers to your school a month before vacation and seeks you out. A rather odd coincidence."

The younger duelist nodded. _'Yeah. And coincidences don't just usually happen to us.'_ He temporarily severed their link again and thought to himself, _'And it couldn't have come at a worse time.'_ He was a little stunned to hear laughing.

"Well, this is certainly a switch. For once, I'm the one who's optimistic and you're the one who's worried." He continued after Yugi cocked his head in confusion. "Look, I know this is all very strange, but I can tell you with certainly, that I don't sense anything out of the ordinary. It is very possible that this girl is just a girl."

Yugi looked up hopefully_. 'Really? You think so?'_

He smiled to reassure him. "Yes. I do."

Despite the confidence in his friend's voice, Yugi wasn't all that convinced. While he trusted Yami's judgment, there were other things bothering him as well, such as the nearly unnoticeable look in Isis's eyes...a look that was identical to his partner's. He had mentioned it to Anzu, but failed to explain it further when she'd asked. Perhaps it was because he himself had tried to dismiss and deny what he had suspected all along, afraid to face the truth...afraid to face their fate. But the arrival of someone who held a similar secret left him with little choice, and it broke his heart to realize it.

That on top of the upcoming anniversary, one that the nightmares preceded and more trouble was sure to follow. Yami didn't know the significance of the mark on Yugi's calendar, and if he maintained the charade, he never would.

"Yugi?" The Pharaoh noticed that his other self still seemed unsure. Even with the mental link closed, their strong friendship bonded them, and he could easily sense the apprehension in Yugi's heart. And somehow, he knew that whatever it was had nothing to do with Isis. "Yugi, what is it?"

_'Huh?'_

Yami exhaled. "There's something else troubling you. I can feel that your heart is still not at peace."

His pale face reddened and his mind raced for a logical answer that would satisfy his friend. He was about to respond when he was thankfully rescued by someone else.

"Yugi! Supper's ready!" His mother's voice interrupted him before he could say anything.

Both looked at each other nervously. Yami cleared his throat and called, "Uh, be right there, Mom!" His deep voice cracked a little as he tried to match Yugi's higher tone. They assumed she must have bought the ruse, as they heard no more. He turned his attention back to their conversation, but found the space Yugi had previously occupied empty. He had taken the opportunity to retreat to his soul room.

With a shake of his head and a discontented sigh, he placed his hands on the Millennium Puzzle and returned control of their shared body to its rightful owner. Yugi stood up and headed for the door.

_'Yugi?' _

He tarried a moment as he opened his bedroom door. "Yes?" His eyes rolled back a little, trying to see the spirit now concealed within his mind.

_'Yugi, I just wanted you to know that I'll be here, when you're ready to talk.'_ His voice was soft and his words held comfort and compassion in them.

The shorter duelist smiled in appreciation. "I know. Thanks, Yami."

* * *

"Done!" Ryou exclaimed aloud. He slammed his text book shut happily and cleared the counter of his homework. Now he could get on to more important matters, such as setting up his Monster World table for Isis. It had been a few months since he and his friends played on it, so it was currently collecting dust. In addition, he'd have to sit down and write a new story as well as prepare a miniature figurine for her.

He found himself whistling again as he got out some cleaning cloths and protective solution and proceeded to the room reserved for gaming. He wasn't sure what made him happier: the idea that a pretty girl (who wasn't involved in that ridiculous fan club) was interested in learning how to play his favorite game, or simply being able to play at all. He recalled that the first adventure he'd shared with Yugi and the others nearly ended in disaster as his yami finally revealed himself and attempted to destroy them all. Since then, they did play a few more times, but it wasn't as fun with everyone wary of the Millennium Ring's dark spirit. In addition, they all seemed much more interested in Duel Monsters. Ryou did enjoy that game as well, but really only got involved with it because of its ties to ancient Egypt.

He was nearly finished polishing his custom board when an unwanted voice and presence decided to assert itself.

_'My, aren't we in a cheerful mood,'_ Bakura brooded in his host's mind.

Ryou groaned and rolled his eyes. "What do **_you_** want?"

_'Or not. No need to get snippy, Landlord.'_

He found his happy disposition quickly evaporating. Unless Bakura was about to forcefully take over or felt like tormenting him, they rarely spoke to one another. Ryou wondered which one was about to transpire.

_'Neither, as a matter of fact,'_ came the answer to his question. _'And I am offended that you would think that. Did it ever occur to you that I just want to talk?'_

Ryou set aside his supplies and slumped into a nearby chair, eyes set on the ceiling. "Fine. I'm listening," he replied aloud. Well aware that Yami Bakura could hear his thoughts, he added, 'Not that you're capable of an actual conversation.' He could tell from the spirit's tone that he was wearing a smirk.

_'You'd be surprised.'_ Bakura cleared his throat unexpectedly and allowed his host to sense his own unrest and concern_. 'Actually, I wanted to warn you about that girl you met today. The one you seem to be going soft over.'_ If he wasn't so uneasy, he might have taken the time to tease him some more.

Ryou shook his head. He didn't like where this was going, and the sudden change in his alter ego's attitude disturbed him. "What about her?"

_'Something isn't right. She's not what she seems,'_ Bakura answered. For once, he was finding it hard to put his worries into words. Deciding to just be direct, he added, _'I sense an evil intent in her heart.'_

His other laughed, startling them both. "What? You've got to be kidding. There's no way..." His amusement faded fast when he perceived the spirit's aggravation at not being taken seriously. "She was so nice. And besides, **_I_** didn't feel anything."

A whisper of a sigh fluttered in his mind. _'That's because you're just a pathetic, dense mortal. And wasn't it you who said she seemed familiar?'_

"Well, yeah. But I don't think it means anything."

_'Not to mention her knowledge of the Millennium Items,'_ the thief continued as though he hadn't said anything.

A smile crossed Ryou's face as he nodded in understanding. "Oh. **_Now_** I know why you're so concerned. You're worried that you'll have to compete with her for them, aren't you?" While he didn't understand _why_ Bakura was so keen to collecting the relics for himself, he _was_ well aware that he wouldn't allow anyone to get in his way. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. She told Yugi she wasn't interested in them."

The yami huffed in frustration. _'And you believed her? When will you learn not to take things at face value? I had hoped that I'd taught you **that** at least.'_

"Whatever." Believing the conversation to be over, Ryou stood and fetched his laptop from the drawer of a nearby desk and plugged it in. He returned to his seat, computer on his lap, and propped his feet up comfortably on the table.

Apparently, Bakura had more to say though_. 'Look, even if you're right about her and the Millennium Items, that doesn't change what I sensed. She's hiding something, I can feel it.'_

The teen considered his words. While he didn't fully agree, the spirit's insistence made him second guess his own opinion. "How can you be so sure?" he questioned.

A smug smirk tugged at Dark Bakura's lips. _'Trust me. I know these things,'_ he stated matter-of-factly.

Ryou opened the writing program on his computer. "Able to recognize your own kind, huh?" He guessed it was only natural that someone who was innately evil could see the evil in others.

_'Exactly.'_

He started typing. "So? What if she is? What do you want **_me_** to do about it?"

An uncomfortable silence followed while the Thief King thought. The easiest thing to do would be to knock out his host and confront this Isis himself. When it came to forcing information out of people, he was more than experienced. But perhaps what was needed here was subtlety. It might be best to leave things alone, for now. _'Just don't let your guard down, alright? And keep your eyes open for anything suspicious,'_ he decided. It wouldn't be good for either of them if Ryou was harmed.

His host nodded slightly in response. He was really only half listening. But if it would get Bakura off his back..."Fine, fine. Whatever," he agreed. He knew he was displeased at the small regard he was giving the situation, but he didn't really care. And for now, Bakura let him be.

* * *

Well, that's it for Chapter Two! Thanks for sticking it out!

Just a few notes and comments: I may be changing the genre of this fic to "general". I intend it to be more of an action/adventure, but there won't be much of any for a few more chapters. I don't know. Haven't decided yet.

I chose the street names Bakura mentions for a reason. Orochi, if I'm not mistaken, means "large snake" and Oni is something like a goblin or ogre. I thought it was fitting to name the streets associated with Kaiba Corp as such because of what a jerk Gozaburo Kaiba was. I just picked Umi (water) at random.

I think that's it. Chapter Three's coming soon. Please leave a review if you have the time!

StandAlone


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